Projection screen



May 2l, 1935. T. F. YAGLE Ref 19,574

` PROJECTION SCREEN Original Filed Oct. 16, 1929 A l Thr/odore E Yagle INVENTOR ATTORNEY Reuued May 2l, 1935 UNITED STATES PROJECTION SCREEN Theodore F. Yagle, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Radio Corporation of America, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Original No. 1,876,269, dated September 6, 1932, i

Serial No. 400,109, October 16, 1929. Application for reissue August 22, 1933, Serial No.

8 Claims.

My invention relates to sound and/or motion picture apparatus, and more particularly to a improved projection screen whereby superior re-`` sults are obtained -in viewing thereon motion or still pictures, photographs, transparencies and the like, and which, in one form of the invention, consists of a base or backing of any knitted or woven material such as cotton for example, having a fplle. facing or "nap intermeshed with or otherwise secured to the said backing, and consisting of single cm'ly bers of wool or the like,vwhieh are interrelated or tangled similarly to a material commercially known as Eiderdown" and with the brous pile or nap" facing of a thickness greater than twice the total thickness of the,.said backing.

The thickness of the fibrous ."pile or nap facing is governed in certain predetermined instances by the distance from which projected film subject matter or the like is to be viewed. p Further in accordance with my invention, I provide an improved screen for talking and/or motion picture apparatus, which .is particularly adapted to visually impart to such pictures the effect of rotundity with a certain amount of depth, generally referred to as perspective, as distinguished from the conventional screen with its strictly fiat surface resulting in a flat picture eil'ect.

Further in accordance with my invention., I provide an improved projection screenwhich is substantially semi-transparent, in order to partially absorb the rays of light when projected thereon, and to the extent that reflection of light rays therefrom is largely prevented and therewit the usual screen glare.

Further in accordance with my invention, I provide an improved projection screen which presents a foraminated, substantially flat "pile faeing or "nap" to a film traversing light beam although permitting, due to said formated pile facing, the portrayal of certain parts or portions of motion film subject matter in substantially 'one or more parallel planes, by reason of the fact that, when a light beam'is projected thereon, the' said light beam will penetrate the pile facing indiscriminately to the total depth thereof.

Further in accordance with my invention, I utilize a foraminated projection screen which will, in addition to visually giving the effect of rotundity tok pictures or scenes projected thereon,

(ci. ss--24if whether they be still or in motion, permit sound waves to penetrate the screen as is necessary when talkingl motion pictures arev being exhibited. Further in accordance with my invention, I provide a projection screen of the character described, which will substantially damp out all extraneous sounds resulting from the operation of talking motion picture apparatus and emanating from a sound reproducing instrumentality used in conjunction therewith, and usually situated to the rear of the conventional type of projection screen. Such extraneous sounds, in the case of special sound record' tablets for synchronous reproduction with motion 'picture lms, or. photographically recorded sound synchronized on motion film strips in conjunction with the usual pic,- tures or the like, for example, are commonly referred to in the art as surface noise, the former being due to a stylus carried by a sound reproducing instrumentality tracking the sound groove on such record tablets, and, in the case of the latter example, to the granular structure of and the foreign matter usually on photographic sound film when traveling past a light slit in reproducing apparatus therefor.

Further in accordance with my invention, a suitably proportioned sheet or section of foraminated fabric known to the textile trade as cotton back, single faced Eiderdown is utilized for my improved projection screen, with the Eiderdown or pi1e" facing of said fabric arranged to face a moving picture projector, so that a lightbeam emanating therefrom,` will impinge on the said pile.facing and penetrate the same, to the end that "high lights or white portions of film subject matter projected thereon will be concentrated on the extreme outer surface of the said pile facing, and the dark or shadow portions thereof carried deeper into the said pile facing by the said light beam, whereby the effect of rotundity or perspection is obtained.

Further in accordance with my invention, the foraminated facing of the Eiderdown material 'herein described is made luminous by treating, spraying or substantially impregnating the said foraminous'facing with a suitable fluid having luminous properties such as a high quality aluminum paint, for example, but not to such an extent as would alter the foraminous character'- istics of the herein specified material. It is to be expressly understood, however, that any other suitable fluid for producing luminosity or color, may be applied to the said foraminous facing of the projector screen herein described to impart theso called silver screen effect.

In the accompanying drawing, `wherein like characters of reference denote l:corresponding parts in the different views,`

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my improved projection screen, with the "pile" or nap facing 'shown removed at one corner of the screen thlsgxpose the cotton backing or porous fabric Figure 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view similar to Fig. 2 on a larger scale and illustrating, by means of the broken lines, the rays of light and a plurality of spaced transverse planes parallel with the screen, on whichv film subject matter is collectively projected in accordance with the depth and texture of the screen pile facing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, my' lmproved projection screen consists of a suitably proportioned sheet or section of material generally indicated at Ill, and commonly known as cotton back, single faced Eiderdown having a loosely knitted or woven porous cotton back II, with substantial interstitial spaces therein, and which is faced with an intermeshed or otherwise secured or attached foraminated layer of pile or "nap" I2 comprising curled single fibers, such as wool, for example, closely tangled or interrelated and substantially irregularly disposed with respect to the plane of the cotton back I I, to provide a matted fibrous "pile facing or "nap having a depth greater than twice the thickness of the cotton back II. 4

My improved projection screen, generally indicated at III, presents, to projected motion pictures and the like, an image receiving surface which is substantially flat to the extent that images projected thereon by means of a film traversing light beam, for example, will `appear substantially-in perspective; that is to say, such images will appear to stand out in relief with a rounded out appearance due to the fact that the high lights and dark or shadow portions` of nlm subjectmatter, appear on and within the pile or nap facing of the projection screen on planes varying in depth.

Preferably, the improved projection screen III is disposed with respect to projection apparatus (not shown) in a flat vertical plane. However, it is likewise considered within the scope of my invention to so dispose a projection screen as herein described as to present a concave or convex surface to a light beam emanating from said projection apparatus, theformer having a tendency to impart greater depth or relief. This however, is not necessary, and is stated herein as an alternative screen form my invention may take.

In conformity with my invention, I utilize a suitably proportioned sheet or section of material as herein described and designated at Ill, for projectlon screen purposes. However, itis preferable to iirst spray, impregnate` or otherwise treat the foraminous pile facing I2, with a luminous pigment fluid, as aluminum paint of high grade for example, to provide a luminous foraminated screen surface. If desired, the said screen surface may be so treated a number of times to bring out any desired degree of luminosity.

In treating the herein described material for projection screen purposes, I spray, impregnate or otherwise treat the foraminous pile facing I2 as aforesaid, and then place the material on al flat surface with the pile facing I2 in contact with the surface, in order that the luminous iiuid described may so concentrate and dry on the matted fibers comprising the pile facing I2 that an inflnite number of exceedingly small globules of luminous uid are collected or deposited on and throughout the fibers in a highly irregularmanner and are held thereon within the depth thereof. This provides a vast number of minute, substantially spherical reflecting surfaces adapted toY reflect the rays of light at various angles indiscriminately within the pile facing ,|2, thus producingdiffusion of the reflected light.

In accordance with my invention, itiis to be` particularly noted that I do not limit myself to a selection of textile material as herein specified. In place of this material, any, fabric or the like Ahaving -a suitable backing provided with a facing of fibers, whether regularly or irregularly disposed thereon, will be satisfactory, particularly when the light diffusing globules are applied thereto in a manner to be interspersed throughout and held in place within the depth of the flbers. Furthermore, in place of textile material, a reticulate metal wire mesh may be substituted for the cotton backing II, and a layer of plain or treated foramnated fine metal bers or particles substituted for the "Eiderdown" facing herein described, and which may be attached in any suitable manner, to the said wire mesh, to secure results identical or similar to those herein set forth.

While I have shown and described one practical embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited in the manner of securing or obtaining the superior results herein set forth, but consider myself at liberty to use all such alternative forms of material, whether fabric or metal, as fairly fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim: p

1. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a fabric backing and a porous pile surface, said pile surface comprising a closely matted irregularly disposed fibrous layer adapted to receive light within its depth for reflecting light beams from more than one plane.

2. A projection screen for motion pictures com prising a fabric backing and a porous pile surface, said pile surface comprising a closely matted layer of irregularly disposed metalliaed bres adapted to receive light within its depth for reiiecting light beams from more than one plane.

3. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a foraminated backing, a facing of irregularly disposed closely woven fibres on said back, and a coating of metallic substantially spherical globules deposited on said fibres.

4. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a foraminated backing, a facing of irregularly disposed closely woven bres on said back, and a coating of metallic substantially spherical globules deposited on said fibres.

5. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a porous base sheet faced with a substantial layer of loosely matted fibres irregularly disposed with respect to the plane of said sheet, said bres being metallized to provide a luminous surface with an infinite number of minute, substantially spherical reecting surfaces formed on said fibres indiscriminately throughout said surface.

6. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a porous base sheet faced with a substantial layer of loosely matted iibres irregularly disposed with respect to the plane of said sheet, said fibres being metallized to provide a luminous porous surface with an innite number' of minand a plurality of globular elements interspersed throughout said bres for diffusing light pro- Jected onto said screen. l

8. A projection screen for motion pictures comprising a fabric backing and a porous pile surface, said pile surface comprising a matted, irregularly disposed, ilbrous layer adapted to receive light within its depth, and a plurality of globular light diiuslng elements interspersed throughout said fibres.

. THEODORE F. YAGLE. 

